Call for jobs to be moved from the city

Chief reporter A BEEFED-UP Welsh Government department responsible for the Welsh language should be set up outside Cardiff as part of a wider move to devolve hundreds of jobs beyond the capital, according to campaigners.

At present the Welsh Government has a Welsh language division at its headquarters in Cardiff, but it does not have the status of a full department.

Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (the Welsh Language Society) argues this lower status within the Civil Service means the language has less policy clout than it needs.

A policy paper produced by the group calls for the devolution of hundreds of jobs by creating and relocating bodies including an upgraded Welsh language department, a Broadcasting Authority for Wales, a Welsh Planning Inspectorate, an Economic Development Body, and a new National Energy Company.

Cymdeithas yr Iaith is also calling for the devolution of further Civil Service jobs in the economy, education and agriculture departments.

Jeff Smith, communities spokesman for Cymdeithas yr Iaith, said: “Moving jobs out of Cardiff is important if we want to have a prosperous and sustainable economy and language right across the country. It’s not balanced at the moment.

“It’s also clear that the existing Welsh language division lacks clout – a point raised by many we have consulted. “There’s also criticism that the division is too Cardiff-centric in its thinking, which can, and has been, a problem for making policy that’s in the best interests of the language. So there’s a strong argument for this move. ”

He added: “We’re losing about 5,200 Welsh speakers a year through out-migration from Wales. There are a number of factors that impact on the state of the language. It’s clear that emigration, with young people in particular leaving their communities to look for work, is one of the main challenges.”

A Welsh Government spokesman said: “We are committed to providing good quality employment opportunities across the whole of Wales and most jobs are location neutral. Officials working on the Welsh language are located in eight offices spanning the breadth of Wales. They work with departments across Government to deliver the Cymraeg 2050 vision.

“We are currently holding job fairs around the country which will allow members of the public to find out more about working for us, in our different offices across Wales.”